Indigofera

Inflorescences of an indigo plant ( Indigofera tinctoria )

The genus Indigofera, with about 700 species, the third largest genus of flowering plants in the legume family ( Fabaceae ). The genus name refers to the fact that some species contain the blue dye indigo.

3.1 Types (selection)

6.1 Notes and references

Description

Vegetative characteristics

In Indigofera species are rarely annual, usually herbaceous plants, shrubs or small trees. Most parts of the plant are hairy tomentose. The leaves are pinnate or mostly unpaired, in some species they are simple or reduced to a pinnate leaf. The edges of the leaves or leaflets are smooth. Rarely are glands on the leaves present. The stipules are stable or drop out early.

Generative features

The flowers appear singly in the leaf axils or in axillary racemose inflorescences or aged men with early mostly falling bracts. Bracts absent.

The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fünfzählig double perianth ( perianth ). The five sepals are fused bell-shaped or cup-shaped. The five calyx teeth are nearly equal, or bottom is longer. The petals are often pink, red or orange, rarely white or yellow. The flag is nailed just at their base. The boat has often a spur that is fused with the wings. The wings are narrow. Nine of the ten stamens are fused. The carpel contains many or just one to many ovules. The rulers, mostly hairless style ends in a capitate stigma.

The legumes are oblong to pencil or ball -shaped, and contain three to four seeds. The hilum is small. The two seed leaves ( cotyledons ) are not equal.

Dissemination

The genus Indigofera occurs worldwide in tropical to temperate warm climates. Its distribution focus is, however, with about 490 species in Africa and Madagascar.

System

The genus Indigofera belongs to the tribe Indigofereae in the subfamily of the Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) within the legume family ( Fabaceae ).

A synonym for Indigofera L. Bremontiera DC .. Within the genus Indigofera, there are about 30 sections and 700 species.

Types (selection)

There are about 700 species of Indigofera:

Indigofera adenocarpa E.Mey.
Indigofera adenoid Baker f
Indigofera alpina Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera alternans DC.
Indigofera amblyantha Craib
Indigofera amoena Aiton
Indigofera angustata E.Mey.
Indigofera angustifolia L.
Indigofera antunesiana Harms
Indigofera aquae - nitensis Bremek.
Indigofera arenophila Schinz
Indigofera argentea Burm. f
Indigofera articulata Gouan
Indigofera aspalathoides Vahl ex DC.
Indigofera aspera Perr. ex DC.
Indigofera asperifolia bong. ex Benth.
Indigofera astragalina DC.
Indigofera atriceps Hook. f
Indigofera auricoma E.Mey.
Indigofera australis Willd.
Indigofera bainesii Baker
Indigofera boviperda Morrison
Indigofera brachynema J.B.Gillett
Indigofera brachyodon Dominguez
Indigofera brachystachya ( DC.) E.Mey.
Indigofera brevicalyx Baker f
Indigofera brevidens Benth.
Indigofera brevipes ( S.Watson ) Rydb.
Indigofera bungeana Walp.
Indigofera burchellii DC.
Indigofera candicans Aiton
Indigofera Candolleana Meisn.
Indigofera capillaris Thunb.
Indigofera carlesii Craib
Indigofera caroliniana Mill
Indigofera cassioides Rottler ex DC.
Indigofera Cecili N.E.Br.
Indigofera charlierana Schinz
Indigofera chuniana F.P.Metcalf
Indigofera Circinella Baker f
Indigofera circinnata Benth. ex Harv.
Indigofera Colutea ( Burm. f ) Merr.
Indigofera comosa N.E.Br.
Indigofera cordifolia B.Heyne ex Roth
Indigofera Cryptantha Benth. ex Harv.
Indigofera cuneata Baker ex Oliv.
Indigofera cuneifolia Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera cylindracea Wall. ex Baker
Indigofera cytisoides (L.) L.
Indigofera daleoides Benth. ex Harv.
Indigofera decora Lindl.
Indigofera delagoaensis J.B.Gillett
Indigofera demissa Taub.
Indigofera dendroides Jacq.
Denudata Indigofera L. f
Indigofera digitata L. f
Indigofera dimidiata Walp.
Indigofera diphylla Vent.
Indigofera disjuncta J.B.Gillett
Indigofera dregeana E.Mey.
Indigofera dyeri Britten
Indigofera Egens N.E.Br.
Indigofera emarginella Steud. ex A.Rich.
Indigofera erecta Thunb.
Indigofera eriocarpa E.Mey.
Indigofera erythrogramma Welw. ex Baker
Indigofera evansiana Burtt Davy
Indigofera eylesiana J.B.Gillett
Indigofera fanshawei J.B.Gillett
Indigofera filicaulis Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera filifolia Thunb.
Indigofera filiformis L. f
Indigofera filipes Benth. ex Harv.
Indigofera flabellata Harv.
Indigofera flavicans Baker
Indigofera foliosa E.Mey.
Indigofera fortunei Craib
Indigofera frutescens L. f
Indigofera fulvopilosa Brenan
Indigofera gairdnerae Hutch. ex Baker f
Indigofera galegoides DC.
Indigofera garckeana Vatke
Indigofera glandulosa J.C.Wendl.
Indigofera glaucescens Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera glomerata E.Mey.
Indigofera griseoides Harms
Indigofera hamiltonii Graham ex Duthie & Prain
Indigofera hebepetala Benth. ex Baker
Indigofera hedyantha Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera hendecaphylla Jacq.
Indigo ( Indigofera heterantha Wall. Ex Brandis )
Indigofera heterophylla Thunb.
Indigofera heterotricha DC.
Indigofera heudelotii Benth. ex Baker
Indigofera hewittii Baker f
Indigofera hilaris Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera himalayensis Ali
Indigofera hirsuta L.
Indigofera hispida Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera hochstetteri Baker
Indigofera holubii N.E.Br.
Indigofera humifusa Eckl. & Zeyh.
Indigofera incana Thunb.
Indigofera suffruticosa Mill
Indigofera tinctoria L.

Use

Some species ( Indigofera tinctoria, Indigofera suffruticosa, Indigofera articulata, Indigofera arrecta ) are used for dyeing or for the recovery of the dye indigo, another for green manure or as fodder plants. In some species such as Indigofera endecaphylla, Indigofera mucronata and probably a few other substances Indospicin, canavanine and Hiptagensäure occur. This trigger genetic damage and be held accountable for specific equine diseases.

Pictures

Indigofera decora:

Legumes

Inflorescence

Indigofera astragalina:

Inflorescence

Swell

Gao Xinfen & Brian D. Schrire: Fabaceae in the Flora of China: Indigofera - Online. SI Ali: Papilionaceae in the Flora of Pakistan: Indigofera - Online.

Rosids Agricultural Research Service

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